Isaac Asimov produced more than 500 books in the decades between 1920 and 1992. His published works include thirty-eight science-fiction novels and thirty-seven volumes of short stories. He also managed to write two mystery novels, nine collections of mystery short stories, and a book of fantasy short stories. Asimov's nonfiction covers the major fields of science. His volumes of essays range from the literary to the humorous and satirical. He even wrote seven books about the Bible.
Asimov_______many topics.
mimicked
discussed
commissioned
despised
Asimov discussed many topics.
In the 1800s, opera houses in Paris hired performers known as claquers. These performers were hired to sit in the audience and applaud. They did more than clap, however. Some were specialists. Some were experts in crying, able to weep loudly or gently, depending on the director's wishes. Others were hired to laugh uncontrollably at humorous moments. Singers could even pay for extra applause during certain performances, hoping to encourage greater fame and future work. Although audiences could tell who among them had been hired to laugh, cry, or cheer, the effect was similar to that of a laugh track on a television show-the paying audience members tended to react in the same manner as the professionals.
The claquers were paid to be_______
expressive
acrobatic
glamorous
combative
The claquers were paid to be expressive.
New York City's High Line Park celebrates the decommissioned elevated train tracks the park is built on. Visitors to the park enjoy stunning views of nearby buildings and the Hudson River. The park's landscaping is also something to behold. Its flowers and plants do not cover the original rails, but grow around them. When fashioning the park's slim benches, the designers used the shapes of the metal train rails for inspiration. They made the benches look like flying train tracks. Since it opened in 2009, the High Line has become a model for reviving old and unused industrial spaces in urban environments.
Design elements_______the park's past
confront
emphasize
stifle
diagram
Design elements emphasize the park's past.
Although it sounds like a breakfast sandwich, the MacGuffin actually has to do with many of the most-loved movies of all time. MacGuffin is the slang term for any prized object that the characters hope to possess. The Death Star design from Star Wars is a perfect example of this basic plot device. Viewers perch at the edge of their seats, hoping the hero obtains the MacGuffin before the villain. Director Alfred Hitchcock, widely known as the master of suspense, popularized the term. The microfilm in North By Northwest is his most famous example.
Suspense comes from the_______of the MacGuffin.
pursuit
Oransom
opponent
criticism
Suspense comes from the pursuit of the MacGuffin.
Because global whale populations were vanishing, whaling was almost entirely banned in 1986. The twentieth-century whaling industry regarded the animals exclusively as a food source, but this hadn't always been the case. In the 1700s, long before people could flip a switch to light their homes at night, oil was the prized resource from whales: candles and oil lamps provided illumination. Whale oil was considered ideal for lamps-compared to whale oil, other fuels provided dimmer light or gave off foul fumes. But catching the whale was just the first step in a difficult process. Once a whale was brought in, large chunks of blubber were cut off of the animal. The blubber was then carefully boiled to render the oil.
Before electricity, whale oil was__________for daily life.
ceremonial
excessive
discouraged
fundamental
Before electricity, whale oil was fundamental for daily life.
When the roar of a lion is heard, it sounds like a single thunderous howl. According to researchers, however, a lion's roar is more sophisticated than it may seem. It begins with a moan, elevates into a howling call (the portion most listeners associate with the roar), and ends with a series of staccato grunts. Consequently, the lion's roar is a unique system of sounds.
A lion's roar is________
complex
sorrowful
defiant
involuntary