Summer Camp
by Alecia Strohl
During the summer, kids have more free time to participate in activities they may not have time for during the school year. From family vacations to visiting with friends, they have many options to occupy their time. Summer camps are one way to spend time out of school. When choosing a camp, kids have a variety of choices; from sports-related camps to camps filled with arts and crafts. Camps are safe places for kids to stay while their parents are working during the day. Also, kids can make new friends at camps, and have opportunities to experience new cultures.
The activities offered at summer camps range widely. For some, sports are the main focus, offering activities like football drills, batting cages, or swimming lessons. For others, art activities may be the highlight, with woodworking, painting, sewing, and a variety of other options. Music camps provide singing, dancing, and practice with different instruments. Camps can be small or large, far away or close to home, and provide new experiences for kids of all ages.
Summer camps are convenient for parents, too. While many parents work during the day, they need to find childcare to ensure their safety. This can be expensive, and often, childcare options (like babysitters) do not offer the number of activities and learning experiences found at summer camps. While many camps do cost money, many parents think the cost is worth knowing their children are involved in activities. There are some camps that do not cost a lot of money, while still offering fun activities.
Another major benefit of summer camps is the new friends kids can make. At camps with certain themes, like sports camps, kids get to meet other kids with similar interests. Sitting by the campfire sharing stories at night is one way kids learn about other kids' lives and cultures. These experiences help kids understand people with different backgrounds. With so many electronics at home to capture kids' attention, summer camps offer better ways to spend time during the summer.
Question 1
What is a reason the author gives for parents who work during the day choosing summer camps over a babysitter?
Responses
A Camp employees are able to keep kids more safe than babysitters can.Camp employees are able to keep kids more safe than babysitters can.
B Babysitters do not know how to do crafts, like woodworking and painting.Babysitters do not know how to do crafts, like woodworking and painting.
C Camps are usually free, so they do not have to spend money on babysitters.Camps are usually free, so they do not have to spend money on babysitters.
D Kids stay more active and involved in summer camps than with babysitters.Kids stay more active and involved in summer camps than with babysitters.
Question 2
Based on the text is a reason kids might want to go to a summer camp?
Responses
A to use electronicsto use electronics
B to make new friendsto make new friends
C to get out of schoolto get out of school
D to find a new babysitter
B) to make new friends
During the summer, kids have more free time to participate in activities they may not have time for during the school year. From family vacations to visiting with friends, they have many options to occupy their time. Summer camps are one way to spend time out of school. When choosing a camp, kids have a variety of choices; from sports-related camps to camps filled with arts and crafts. Camps are safe places for kids to stay while their parents are working during the day. Also, kids can make new friends at camps, and have opportunities to experience new cultures.
The activities offered at summer camps range widely. For some, sports are the main focus, offering activities like football drills, batting cages, or swimming lessons. For others, art activities may be the highlight, with woodworking, painting, sewing, and a variety of other options. Music camps provide singing, dancing, and practice with different instruments. Camps can be small or large, far away or close to home, and provide new experiences for kids of all ages.
Summer camps are convenient for parents, too. While many parents work during the day, they need to find childcare to ensure their safety. This can be expensive, and often, childcare options (like babysitters) do not offer the number of activities and learning experiences found at summer camps. While many camps do cost money, many parents think the cost is worth knowing their children are involved in activities. There are some camps that do not cost a lot of money, while still offering fun activities.
Another major benefit of summer camps is the new friends kids can make. At camps with certain themes, like sports camps, kids get to meet other kids with similar interests. Sitting by the campfire sharing stories at night is one way kids learn about other kids' lives and cultures. These experiences help kids understand people with different backgrounds. With so many electronics at home to capture kids' attention, summer camps offer better ways to spend time during the summer.
Question 1
What is a reason the author gives for parents who work during the day choosing summer camps over a babysitter?
Responses
A Camp employees are able to keep kids more safe than babysitters can.Camp employees are able to keep kids more safe than babysitters can.
B Babysitters do not know how to do crafts, like woodworking and painting.Babysitters do not know how to do crafts, like woodworking and painting.
C Camps are usually free, so they do not have to spend money on babysitters.Camps are usually free, so they do not have to spend money on babysitters.
D Kids stay more active and involved in summer camps than with babysitters.Kids stay more active and involved in summer camps than with babysitters.
D) Kids stay more active and involved in summer camps than with babysitters.
1Hiccups are an annoying little fact of life. While the strange condition often lasts for only a few moments, some people suffer from hiccups for much longer. Iowa farmer Charles Osborne had the hiccups for sixty-eight years. Other than the hiccups, Osborne lived a relatively healthy life. Doctors couldn’t find any reason for Osborne’s hiccups. His case remains a medical mystery. Luckily, most cases of hiccups resolve themselves in a matter of minutes.
2Hiccups are an interruption of your breathing pattern. When you breathe normally, you take in air through your nose or mouth. The air passes through the throat on its way to your lungs. Of course, food also passes through the throat as it travels to the stomach. Your epiglottis keeps food and air going in the right directions. This tiny valve opens your airway wide when you breathe in and closes when you eat.
3A dome-shaped muscle called the diaphragm assists in the breathing process. The diaphragm sits between the chest and the stomach. When you breathe in, the diaphragm pulls down to help open your airway. The muscle pushes up when you breathe out. Sometimes, the diaphragm will shudder, causing you to take a short, quick breath. The closing epiglottis interrupts the breath and a hiccup escapes your mouth.
4Your diaphragm might shudder for several different reasons. Swallowing too much food or too much air is the main cause of hiccups. Eating spicy foods or drinking fizzy sodas can also upset the diaphragm. Scientists have found that rapid changes in temperature in or outside the body might contribute to hiccups. This is why you might find your breathing interrupted after taking a sip of hot cocoa on a chilly day. Shock, excitement, and anxiety can also cause an attack of the hiccups.
5Because hiccups are uncomfortable, most people want to get rid of them as soon as possible. Many people have their own special treatments for the hiccups. Some people believe that a spoonful of sugar is the best solution to a severe case of hiccups. Others hold their breath to interrupt their breathing patterns, allowing their diaphragms time to calm down. Other tricks include drinking a large glass of water, breathing into a paper bag, and drinking a cup of tea. Sometimes people try to scare the hiccups away. These people think a sudden surprise will cause their diaphragms to start working properly again. Whatever method you choose, remember that hiccups usually stop all by themselves. If you take a few deep breaths, your hiccups should go away in no time.
Question
What is the main idea of this passage?
Responses
A why hiccups happenwhy hiccups happen
B why hiccups are annoyingwhy hiccups are annoying
C how to get rid of hiccupshow to get rid of hiccups
D who had the longest case of hiccups
C) how to get rid of hiccups
No man thinks more highly than I do of the patriotism, as well as abilities, of the very worthy gentlemen who have just addressed the House. But different men often see the same subject in different lights; and, therefore, I hope it will not be thought disrespectful to those gentlemen if, entertaining as I do opinions of a character very opposite to theirs, I shall speak forth my sentiments freely and without reserve. This is no time for ceremony. The question before the House is one of awful moment to this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery; and in proportion to the magnitude of the subject ought to be the freedom of the debate. It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country. Should I keep back my opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, I should consider myself as guilty of treason towards my country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly kings.
2 Mr. President, it is natural to man to indulge in the illusions of hope. We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts. Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty? Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation? For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.
3 I have but one lamp by which my feet are guided, and that is the lamp of experience. I know of no way of judging of the future but by the past. And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of the British ministry for the last ten years to justify those hopes with which gentlemen have been pleased to solace themselves and the House. Is it that insidious smile with which our petition has been lately received? Trust it not, sir; it will prove a snare to your feet. Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how this gracious reception of our petition comports with those warlike preparations which cover our waters and darken our land. Are fleets and armies necessary to a work of love and reconciliation? Have we shown ourselves so unwilling to be reconciled that force must be called in to win back our love? Let us not deceive ourselves, sir. These are the implements of war and subjugation; the last arguments to which kings resort. I ask gentlemen, sir, what means this martial array, if its purpose be not to force us to submission? Can gentlemen assign any other possible motive for it? Has Great Britain any enemy, in this quarter of the world, to call for all this accumulation of navies and armies? No, sir, she has none. They are meant for us: they can be meant for no other. They are sent over to bind and rivet upon us those chains which the British ministry have been so long forging. And what have we to oppose to them? Shall we try argument? Sir, we have been trying that for the last ten years. Have we anything new to offer upon the subject? Nothing. We have held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has been all in vain. Shall we resort to entreaty and humble supplication? What terms shall we find which have not been already exhausted? Let us not, I beseech you, sir, deceive ourselves. Sir, we have done everything that could be done to avert the storm which is now coming on. We have petitioned; we have remonstrated; we have supplicated; we have prostrated ourselves before the throne, and have implored its interposition to arrest the tyrannical hands of the ministry and Parliament. Our petitions have been slighted; our remonstrances have produced additional violence and insult; our supplications have been disregarded; and we have been spurned, with contempt, from the foot of the throne! In vain, after these things, may we indulge the fond hope of peace and reconciliation. There is no longer any room for hope. If we wish to be free—if we mean to preserve inviolate those inestimable privileges for which we have been so long contending—if we mean not basely to abandon the noble struggle in which we have been so long engaged, and which we have pledged ourselves never to abandon until the glorious object of our contest shall be obtained—we must fight! I repeat it, sir, we must fight! An appeal to arms and to the God of hosts is all that is left us!
4 They tell us, sir, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger? Will it be the next week, or the next year? Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a British guard shall be stationed in every house? Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction? Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot? Sir, we are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power. The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us. Besides, sir, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up friends to fight our battles for us. The battle, sir, is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave. Besides, sir, we have no election. If we were base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission and slavery! Our chains are forged! Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston! The war is inevitable—and let it come! I repeat it, sir, let it come.
5 It is in vain, sir, to extenuate the matter. Gentlemen may cry, Peace, Peace—but there is no peace. The war is actually begun! The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the clash of resounding arms! Our brethren are already in the field! Why stand we here idle? What is it that gentlemen wish? What would they have? Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of chains and slavery? Forbid it, Almighty God! I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!
Question
What statement BEST summarizes the speech?
Responses
A Patrick Henry is angry with Great Britain due to unfair taxes.Patrick Henry is angry with Great Britain due to unfair taxes.
B Through experience Patrick Henry has learned not to trust the British.Through experience Patrick Henry has learned not to trust the British.
C The colonies are too weak to battle Great Britain but Patrick disagrees.The colonies are too weak to battle Great Britain but Patrick disagrees.
D Patrick Henry pleads with legislature to take up arms against encroaching British forces before it’s too late.
D) Patrick Henry pleads with legislature to take up arms against encroaching British forces before it’s too late.
Imagine you are a caveman out innocently picking berries when suddenly you come nose to nose with a sabre-tooth tiger. While you were simply gathering, the tiger was actually hunting, and the sight of you makes his mouth water.
2 Luckily for you, millions of years of evolution has endowed you with a set of automatic weapons that take over in the event of an emergency. At the sight of the tiger, your hypothalamus sends a message to your adrenal glands and within seconds, you can run faster, hit harder, see better, hear more acutely, think faster, and jump higher than you could only seconds earlier.
3 Your heart is pumping at two to three times the normal speed, sending nutrient rich blood to the major muscles in your arms and legs. The tiny blood vessels (called capillaries) under the surface of your skin close down (which consequently sends your blood pressure soaring) so you can sustain a surface wound and not bleed to death. Even your eyes dilate so you can see better.
4 All functions of your body not needed for the struggle about to commence are shut down. Digestion stops, sexual function stops, even your immune system is temporarily turned off. If necessary, excess waste is eliminated to make you light on your feet.
5 Your suddenly supercharged body is designed to help level the odds between you and your attacker. Consequently, you narrowly escape death by leaping higher and running faster than you ever could before. With the danger now over, you find a safe place to lie down and rest your exhausted body.
6 FLASH FORWARD to the present day. Despite the huge amount of technological change in the ensuing 25,000 years, you are walking around with essentially the same set of internal body parts as that of the caveman. At this very moment you're in the break room at work, hunting for coffee and gathering donuts. Your boss is out hunting too. But guess what? He's hunting for you.
7 As you gulp down your third cup of Java you hear your boss say those dreaded words: "Could I see you for a moment in my office, please?" At the sight of the tiger, er, uh...your boss...your hypothalamus sends a message to your adrenal glands and within seconds your body summons all the same powers that your stone-age ancestor needed to fight a sabre tooth tiger.
8 You can almost feel your blood pressure soar as you take the long walk down the hall to your boss's office. You remember a rumor you heard about an upcoming round of layoffs. Now your mind is racing, your heart is pumping, your blood pressure is soaring, your mouth dries up, your hands feel cold and clammy, your forehead is perspiring and you may even feel a sudden urge to go (to the bathroom). As you imagine your boss firing you, the caveman inside of you wants to come out. Maybe you'd like to run and hide or maybe you'd like to punch your boss in the nose, but you can't do either. Welcome to the modern era.
9 As your boss ushers you into his office and closes the door, you're experiencing a full-blown episode of the fight or flight response. But since you can't fight and you can't flee, all of that energy is pent-up inside of you with no place to go. You feel like you're going to explode. Your boss begins to speak. "Here it comes," you think to yourself. But you're so shocked by what you hear you can't believe you heard it right. "What did you say?" you ask your boss. "We are considering you for a promotion," he repeats.
Question
How does the central idea in the first half of the passage differ from the one in the second half?
Responses
A Both sections deal with the amazing, but often negative effects of stress on the human body.Both sections deal with the amazing, but often negative effects of stress on the human body.
B The first half addresses human responses to danger, and the second section focuses on the positive impact of stress the human body.The first half addresses human responses to danger, and the second section focuses on the positive impact of stress the human body.
C The first half deals with the effects of stress on contemporary man, while the second half compares this with the effects of stress on early humans.The first half deals with the effects of stress on contemporary man, while the second half compares this with the effects of stress on early humans.
D The first half deals with the effects of stress on early humans, while the second half compares this with the effects of stress on contemporary humans.
Imagine you are a caveman out innocently picking berries when suddenly you come nose to nose with a sabre-tooth tiger. While you were simply gathering, the tiger was actually hunting, and the sight of you makes his mouth water.
2 Luckily for you, millions of years of evolution has endowed you with a set of automatic weapons that take over in the event of an emergency. At the sight of the tiger, your hypothalamus sends a message to your adrenal glands and within seconds, you can run faster, hit harder, see better, hear more acutely, think faster, and jump higher than you could only seconds earlier.
3 Your heart is pumping at two to three times the normal speed, sending nutrient rich blood to the major muscles in your arms and legs. The tiny blood vessels (called capillaries) under the surface of your skin close down (which consequently sends your blood pressure soaring) so you can sustain a surface wound and not bleed to death. Even your eyes dilate so you can see better.
4 All functions of your body not needed for the struggle about to commence are shut down. Digestion stops, sexual function stops, even your immune system is temporarily turned off. If necessary, excess waste is eliminated to make you light on your feet.
5 Your suddenly supercharged body is designed to help level the odds between you and your attacker. Consequently, you narrowly escape death by leaping higher and running faster than you ever could before. With the danger now over, you find a safe place to lie down and rest your exhausted body.
6 FLASH FORWARD to the present day. Despite the huge amount of technological change in the ensuing 25,000 years, you are walking around with essentially the same set of internal body parts as that of the caveman. At this very moment you're in the break room at work, hunting for coffee and gathering donuts. Your boss is out hunting too. But guess what? He's hunting for you.
7 As you gulp down your third cup of Java you hear your boss say those dreaded words: "Could I see you for a moment in my office, please?" At the sight of the tiger, er, uh...your boss...your hypothalamus sends a message to your adrenal glands and within seconds your body summons all the same powers that your stone-age ancestor needed to fight a sabre tooth tiger.
8 You can almost feel your blood pressure soar as you take the long walk down the hall to your boss's office. You remember a rumor you heard about an upcoming round of layoffs. Now your mind is racing, your heart is pumping, your blood pressure is soaring, your mouth dries up, your hands feel cold and clammy, your forehead is perspiring and you may even feel a sudden urge to go (to the bathroom). As you imagine your boss firing you, the caveman inside of you wants to come out. Maybe you'd like to run and hide or maybe you'd like to punch your boss in the nose, but you can't do either. Welcome to the modern era.
9 As your boss ushers you into his office and closes the door, you're experiencing a full-blown episode of the fight or flight response. But since you can't fight and you can't flee, all of that energy is pent-up inside of you with no place to go. You feel like you're going to explode. Your boss begins to speak. "Here it comes," you think to yourself. But you're so shocked by what you hear you can't believe you heard it right. "What did you say?" you ask your boss. "We are considering you for a promotion," he repeats.
Question
How does the central idea in the first half of the passage differ from the one in the second half?
Responses
A Both sections deal with the amazing, but often negative effects of stress on the human body.Both sections deal with the amazing, but often negative effects of stress on the human body.
B The first half addresses human responses to danger, and the second section focuses on the positive impact of stress the human body.The first half addresses human responses to danger, and the second section focuses on the positive impact of stress the human body.
C The first half deals with the effects of stress on contemporary man, while the second half compares this with the effects of stress on early humans.The first half deals with the effects of stress on contemporary man, while the second half compares this with the effects of stress on early humans.
D The first half deals with the effects of stress on early humans, while the second half compares this with the effects of stress on contemporary humans.
Question 1:
In order to find the answer to this question, we need to identify the information in the text that relates to why parents might choose summer camps over babysitters when they're working during the day. The text states that parents who work during the day need to find childcare to ensure their children's safety. It also mentions that babysitters may not offer the same number of activities and learning experiences as summer camps. Lastly, it mentions that while many camps do cost money, many parents think the cost is worth it because their children are involved in activities.
By analyzing these details, we can determine that the correct answer is: D) Kids stay more active and involved in summer camps than with babysitters.
Question 2:
To answer this question, we need to identify the information in the text regarding why kids might want to go to summer camps. The text states that summer camps offer a variety of activities such as sports, arts and crafts, and music. It also mentions that camps provide opportunities for kids to make new friends and experience new cultures. Additionally, it highlights that summer camps offer better ways to spend time during the summer than being consumed by electronics at home.
Based on this information, we can conclude that the correct answer is: B) to make new friends.