KEY FOR READING PASSAGE 2
15. Vocabulary I (B)
Q. The word composites in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? blends can replace composites in this context. See Clue 15(B)[lines 9-11]
• composite n. something created from different parts or materials
• blend n. a combination of different things
16. Factual Information I (0)
Q. According to paragraph 1, which relationship is true?
Why? the Earth 3 Rocks 3 Minerals 3 Elements —See Clue 16(D)[lines 9-13]
► These solid rocks are composites of different minerals, at times with some organic materials mixed in. Minerals are crystallized structures made up of either a single pure element or a mixture of elements.
17. Reference I (C)
Q. The word its in the passage refers to
Why? Every rock on the planet can be put into one of three distinct groups based on the processes that were responsible for its creation. See Clue 17(C)[lines 23-26]
18. Rhetorical Purpose I (C)
Q. Why does the author repeat the term ‘volcanic * in paragraph 37
mi Why? The term “volcanic” is repeated in order to explain that volcanic rocks are easily found near volcanoes. —See Clue 18(C)[lines 39-41]
19. Vocabulary I (D)
Q. The word discern in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? determine can replace discern in this context- —See Clue 19(D)[lines 40-41]
• discern v. to notice or understand something by paying careful attention
• determine v. to discover the facts about something
20. Factual Information I (D)
Q. According to paragraph 3, how are igneous rocks separated into two categories?
Why? -See Clue 20<D)[lines 29-31, 35-38]
Why Not? (A), (B) Not mentioned / (C) The passage says that an igneous rock’s physical features are related to its mineral composition in lines 45-48, but not the criteria determining the category of the igneous rocks.
21. Sentence Simplification I (A)
Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
Why? As more and more debris accumulates on top of these layers, the underlying materials are buried subjected to increasing degrees of pressure, // and this force eventually cements the once loose sediments into a thin, solid layer of rock, a physical change referred to as lithification.
Why Not? (B), (C) Information that the pressure forms rock is left out.
(D) Information about the alteration of the physical properties of the rock is not mentioned.
22. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word coalesce in the passage is closest in meaning to
» Why? join can replace coalesce in this context **-See Clue 22(A)[lines 72-73]
• coalesce v. to join and form a single group
• join v. to connect things together
23. Inference I (C)
Q. According to the passage, it can be inferred that plant and animal fossils are most commonly observed in
Why? (C) can be inferred from combining the information in lines 52-53 and lines 58-61. –See Clue 23(C)
24. Inference I (B)
Q. What can be inferred about metamorphic rocks from paragraph 5?
Why? (B) can be inferred from the information in lines 74-75. See Clue 24(B) m Why Not? (A), (C) Not supported / (D) Incorrect ~See lines 76-85
25. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 5, what plays the biggest role in determining the characteristics of metamorphic rocks?
. Why? ~See Clue 25(A)[lines 90-93]
► The specific strengths of these forces are the primary factors dictating what physical properties a
26. Vocabulary I (B)
Q. The word radical in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? extreme can replace radical in this context ^See Clue 26(B)[lines 100-107]
• radical adj. departing markedly from the usual or customary; extreme
• extreme adj. great in degree or intense
27. Insert Text I [A]
Q. Look at the four squares [■] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Why? It is not difficult to see that all three types of rock are interconnected. [A] Indeed, the materials involved in rock formation are part of a gradual yet continuous cycle that is constantly redistributing the matter of the Earth. Igneous rocks at the surface are slowly weathered away, creating the building blocks for sedimentary rocks. [B]
► *a gradual yet continuous cycle” in the given sentence and the information that all three types of rock are interconnected in the preceding sentence are closely connected to each other in context.
28. Schematic Table
Q. Directions: Complete the table by matching the phrases below.
Select the appropriate phrases from the answer choices and match them to the type of rock to which they relate. TWO of the answer choices will NOT be used. This question is worth 4 points
Why?
| Correct Answer Choices | Clues in the passage | |
| Igneous Rocks | (E) Are the most common rocks in the crust | Clue 28(E)[lines 28-29] Igneous rocks make up the majority of the Earth’s crust |
| (H) Occur anywhere that hot magma becomes solid | Clue 28(H)[lines 29-30] They form when magma is able to cool and solidify. | |
| Sedimentary Rocks | (A) Can contain particles of organic matter | Clue 28(A)[lines 58-61] Pieces of organic material… can be included in the mixture as well. |
| (D) Form from accumulations of Sedimentary Rocks weathered debris | Clue 28(D)[lines 54-57] Most of these sediments come from other rocks … slowly broken apart by the weathering forces | |
| (G) Retain the physical features of their constituent parts | Clue 28<G)[lines 70-721 The characteristics of rocks of this type are influenced mostly by the size, shape, and mineral makeup of the sediments | |
| Metamorphic Rocks | (B) Form when solid rocks are chemically altered | Clue 28(B)[lines 83-85] Certain chemical changes result, producing new rocks that now fall into the metamorphic category. |
| (F) Occur after materials are deeply submerged | Clue 28(F)[lines 74-75] Metamorphic rocks can only develop deep underground
[lines 79-81] Subducted rocks, which can belong to any of the three types, sometimes reach depths
|
Why Not? (C), (I) Not mentioned
KEY FOR READING PASSAGE 1
3. Reference I (A)
Q. The word they in the passage refers to
Why? … children remain in the sensorimotor stage, progressing through substages until they have developed the ability to accomplish objectives by planning steps toward a goal. —See Clue 3(A)[lines 18-22]
4. Inference I (D)
Q. According to paragraph 2, what can be inferred about a child’s method of problem solving before the concrete operational stage?
Why? (D) can be inferred from the information in lines 26-27. —See Clue 4(D)
Why Not? (A), (B) Not supported / (C) Incorrect —See lines 26-29
5. Vocabulary I (B)
Q. The word abstract in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? conceptual can replace abstract in this context. —See Clue 5(B)[lines 43-44]
abstract adj. based on vague ideas c
onceptual adj. dealing with ideas
6. Factual Information I (C)
Q. According to paragraph 2, the formal operational stage
Why? -See Clue 6(C)[lines 38-40w 44-46]
According to Piaget’s theory, this stage represents a person’s way of thinking at its most sophisticated.
Why Not? (A) Incorrect —See lines 36-41 / (B) Not mentioned / (D) Incorrect —See lines 26-29
7. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 2, the developmental stage when a child’s reflexes are most important is
Why? -See Clue 7(A)[lines 14-15]
8. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word absorbed In the passage Is closest in meaning to
Why? accepted can replace absorbed in this context. ^See Clue 8(A)[lines 67-71]
• absorb v. to understand something new
• accept v. to take something in and agree to it
9. Rhetorical Purpose I (C)
Q. Why does the author mention cats in paragraph 3?
» Why? Cats are mentioned as an example in order to explain the process of assimilation and accommodation. *See Clue 9(C)[lines 77-82]
10. Rhetorical Purpose I (A)
Q. Why does the author mention the1920s in paragraph 4?
Why? The 1920s is mentioned in order to emphasize how long Piaget’s theory has remained influential. ~See Clue 10(A)[lines 83-87]
11. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 4, some psychologists have criticized Piaget’s theory
Why? *rSee Clue 11 (A)[lines 89-91]
► … some psychologists have questioned whether children actually go through stages as Piaget conceptualized them … mm Why Not? (B)-(D) Not mentioned
12. Sentence Simplification I (C)
Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
Why? Although there has been some criticism of his work — // some psychologists have questioned whether children actually go through stages as Piaget conceptualized them, and others have added that some people never attain the final stage, the formal operational stage —II Piaget’s theories still remain relevant and persuasive in modern developmental psychology. hi Why Not? (A), (B) Incorrect
(D) Information that some psychologists have questions about his theory is left out.
13. Insert Text ! [A]
Q. Look at the four squares [I] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Why? A child’s progress through these stages is determined by a process of learning that Piaget (two basic steps of a child’s learning) described in two basic steps: assimilation, the incorporation of new information into existing thought patterns—notions about how the world operates; and accommodation, the alteration of the present cognitive structure to accommodate the new information. Q These two steps allow children to develop working theories about their surroundings that help them to property adapt. Piaget reasoned that a biological drive motivates children to make sense of their environments and then develop ideas about how the world operates. El
► “These two steps” in the given sentence refers to the “two basic steps: assimilation and accommodation.” “Their surroundings” in the given sentence is changed to “their environments” in the following sentence.
14. Prose Summary
Q. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
Why? Piaget’s cognitive development theory suggests that childhood development progresses through distinct stages.
| Correct Answer Choices | Clues in the passage |
| (C) The characteristic behaviors of the four stages begin with babies’ reflexes in the sensorimotor stage and develop into sophisticated interactions in the formal operational stage. | Clue 14(C)[lines 9-15] Piaget conceived four stages of childhood development… At birth, children are in the first stage of development—the sensorimotor stage—exercising their reflexes (lines 38-40] children progress to the final stage of development, the formal operational stage
[lines 45-46] this stage (the formal operational stage) represents a person’s way of thinking at its most sophisticated |
| (E) Children learn new things through a learning process that involves assimilating and accommodating information about the world around them. | Clue 14(E)[lines 47-52] A child’s progress through these stages is determined by a process of learning that Piaget described in two basic steps: assimilation,… accommodation |
| (F) Although some people have doubted that children develop in stages like Piaget proposed, his cognitive development theory continues to be a central idea in psychology. | Clue 14(F)[lines 87-91] Although there has been some criticism of his work—some psychologists have questioned whether children actually go through stages as Piaget conceptualized them
[lines 93-95] Piaget’s theories still remain relevant and persuasive in modern developmental psychology. |
► The whole passage focuses on the four stages of childhood development of Piaget’s cognitive development theory. And it follows that <(C) The four stages of childhood development — (E) Two basic steps of a child’s learning: assimilation and accommodation —► (F) Continual influence of Piaget’s theory on psychology) –See on p.435 tm. Why Not? (A) Not mentioned / (B) Mentioned in lines 35-36, but minor / (D) Mentioned in lines 91-93, but minor
KEY FOR READING PASSAGE 3
29. Sentence Simplification I (C)
Q. Which of the sentences below best expresses the essential information in the highlighted sentence in the passage? Incorrect choices change the meaning in important ways or leave out essential information.
Why? At one time, wild bee populations—with the help of other natural pollinators like birds, butterflies, — Wild bees were once able to move enough pollen and bats—were sufficient to pollinate food crops, //transferring pollen from what is referred to as the male part of the flower (the anther) to the female part (the stigma), // in a crucial part of plant reproduction that enables crops to produce fruits and vegetables.
Why Not? (A) Not mentioned
(B), (D) Information that wild bees were once sufficient to pollinate food crops is left out.
30. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word solely in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? only can replace solely in this context
• solely adv. not involving anything else or alone
• only adv. just one of something
31. Rhetorical Purpose I (C)
Q. Why does the author mention the change in the number of wild bee species in paragraph 2?
Why? The change in the number of wild bee species is mentioned as an example of the effect of habitat degradation in Costa Rica on them. «*See Clue 31(C)[lines 28-301
32. Inference I (B)
Q. It can be inferred from paragraph 2 that hardwood blossoms and hollow trees
Why? (B) can be inferred from the information in lines 23-27. **See Clue 32(B) am Why Not? (A), (C), (D) Not supported
33. Inference I (C)
Q. What can be inferred from paragraph 3 about commercial bees?
Why? (C) can be inferred from the information in lines 38-41. ^See Clue 33(C)
Why Not? (A), (B), (D) Not supported
34. Rhetorical Purpose I (C)
Q. Why does the author mention the Canadian blueberry crops in paragraph 3?
Why? The Canadian blueberry crops are mentioned in order to explain how the pesticides in Canada have an effect on wild bees and the blueberry crop yields. <*See Clue 34(C)[lines 47-50]
35. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word defense in the passage is closest in meaning to
a Why? protection can replace defense in this context.
• defense n. resistance to attack
• protection n. attempt at safeguarding
36. Factual Information I (B)
Q. According to paragraph 4, why is international trade problematic for wild bees?
Why? ~See Clue 36(B)[lines 52-55]
Why Not? (A), (C), (D) Not mentioned
37. Reference I (A)
Q. The word their in the passage refers to
Why? … adult female Varroa mites fasten themselves to the bee between its abdominal segments, an ideal site that makes their detection very difficult… «-See Clue 37<A)[lines 69-72]
38. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word assault in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? attack can replace assault in this context. –See Clue 38(A)[lines 73-74]
• assault v. to attack
• attack v. to set upon using deliberate force
39. Factual Information I (A)
Q. According to paragraph 5, Varroa mites affect bees by
Why? ~See Clue 39{A)[lines 75-80]
► Female mites lay their eggs with bee larvae so that the young bees will become hosts for the mites. Consequences for the hosts include deformed abdomen, abnormal wings, and misshapen legs.
Why Not? (B)-(D) Not mentioned
40. Vocabulary I (A)
Q. The word dwindle in the passage is closest in meaning to
Why? shrink can replace dwindle in this context. See Clue 40(A)[lines 87-91]
• dwindle v. to gradually become less
• shrink v. to become reduced in size
41. Insert Text I [B]
Q. Look at the four squares [|] that indicate where the following sentence could be added to the passage.
Why? [A] The effect of pesticides has been an environmental issue for decades, and many species have been harmed by agricultural chemical spraying. [B] Wild bees are particularly susceptible to the damages caused by pesticides because of their constant exposure to agricultural chemicals. Although both commercial and wild bees play a role in crop pollination, commercial bees remain in pesticide-sprayed fields only long enough to pollinate them, but wild bees inhabit those fields and spend all their time there. [C]
► ‘the damages caused by pesticides’ in the given sentence refers to the harm by agricultural chemical spraying, particularly indicates that wild bees are one of the many species harmed by pesticides.
42. Prose Summary
Q. Directions: An introductory sentence for a brief summary of the passage is provided below. Complete the summary by selecting the THREE answer choices that express the most important ideas in the passage. Some sentences do not belong in the summary because they express ideas that are not presented in the passage or are minor ideas in the passage. This question is worth 2 points.
Why? Wild bee populations are declining because they are facing several serious threats.
| Correct Answer Choices | Clues in the passage |
| (A) By depriving them of food and shelter, loss of habitat has severely reduced the number of wild bee species in some areas. | Clue 42(A)[lines 25-30] the loss of hardwood blossoms and hollow trees results in a loss of wild bees. Over the course of a fourteen-year period, habitat degradation in Costa Rica caused the number of wild bee species to drop from seventy to thirty-seven. |
| (B) Pesticides endanger wild bees because they are constantly exposed to the chemicals that are applied to crop fields. | Clue 42{B)[lines 34-36] many species have been harmed by agricultural chemical spraying [lines 40-41] wild bees inhabit those fields and spend all their time there |
| (F) Parasites and diseases are a very severe problem for wild bee populations, which have nearly been destroyed by this menace. | Clue 42(F)[lines 51-52] Parasites and diseases have become more of a threat
[lines 82-84] In the United States, Varroa infestations have nearly eradicated wild honeybee colonies. |
► The whole passage focuses on the seriousness of the decrease in wild bee populations and its reasons. And it follows that <(A) Harm of habitat degradation on wild bees — (B) Harm of pesticides on wild bees —► (F) Harm of parasites and diseases on wild bees) See on p.447
Why Not? (C) Mentioned in lines 42-46, but minor / (D) Not mentioned / (E) Mentioned in lines 55-59, but minor