Knowing what time it was as one traveled across the vast North American continent
before 1883 was more art than science. Most towns had their own local time, generally
based on the sun's position at its zenith, which wreaked havoc on the railroad industry.
Imagine having to plan shipping and transportation across thousands of miles of tracks
spanning an entire continent. Now imagine doing this when no one could even agree on
what time it was! The powerful railroad companies solved this conundrum by dividing the
continent into four different time zones, creating the universal time-keeping system in use
today.
What technique often used in fiction helps the reader better understand the need for
uniform time zones?
alluding to the railroads as if they were protagonists in an adventure
employing imagery to establish the setting before describing the conflict
asking the reader to put him or herself in the situation of a character
employing imagery to establish the setting before describing the conflict
Mahatma Gandhi once said, "The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way
its animals are treated." Municipal officials who propose cutting funding for animal
shelters and agencies should be ashamed. Many such facilities struggle to provide care
for the countless needy cats, dogs, and other vulnerable animals. Yet heartless
government officials often zealously cut that funding from municipal budgets in favor of
less urgent programs. It is time that government officials demonstrate greater decency
and provide those urgent funds. If our officials do not, then they must be replaced by
people more in the mold of Gandhi.
Which of the following is true of the argument made by the author in the passage?
It is likely to alienate readers who are not familiar with Mahatma Gandhi and his accomplishments.
It clarifies the issue by focusing readers' attention on the most important aspects of municipal spending.
It attacks the character of decision makers rather than analyzing specific issues related to municipal spending.
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It attacks the character of decision makers rather than analyzing specific issues related to municipal spending.
Specific conditions must be met for a plant or animal to fossilize. For example,
almost no fossil record exists for jellyfish or worms. This is because soft tissues
were rarely preserved, but hard tissues, like bones and shells, fossilized much
more frequently. Also, while fossils can form in a number of ways, most are formed
when a plant or animal dies in a watery environment and is buried in mud and silt.
Plants and water creatures are thus more often fossilized than land creatures.
Which factor likely contributed most to limiting the number of fossils of land
creatures?
Most land creatures were almost entirely made up of softer tissues that decayed too quickly to fossilize.
Plants and water creatures fossilized in the most common way, while land creatures fossilized in other ways.
Most land creatures probably died away from watery environments where they would be covered in silt.
Most land creatures probably died away from watery environments where they would be covered in silt.
Anne paused to study her reflection in the mirror. She ran her fingers through her
curly auburn hair, a trait she had inherited from her mother. She peered closely at
her emerald-green eyes and her freckled cheekbones. Then she stepped back to
gaze at her dress. Her mother and friends all had encouraged her to choose it, and
now, standing before the mirror, Anne was grateful she had taken their advice. The
dress was gorgeous and complemented her features perfectly.
Which describes the point of view of the underlined sentence?
It is the narrator indirectly voicing Anne's thoughts about her dress.
It is the narrator commenting objectively on Anne's appearance.
It is Anne directly stating her thoughts about her dress.
It is the narrator indirectly voicing Anne's thoughts about her dress.
This renewable energy project promises to provide numerous benefits to our
state. These include an increase in jobs and a secure and sustainable source of
energy. This project will make dollars and make sense for all of us.
What effect is the underlined phrase meant to have on the argument?
It intends to show how important jobs in renewable energy will become.
It emphasizes humor to help make the subject more interesting to readers.
The pun on sense helps call attention to the economic soundness of the project.
The pun on sense helps call attention to the economic soundness of the project.
The word philanthropy combines the prefix phil- with the root -anthropy. Phil-
comes from the Greek philos, meaning "loving." -Anthropy comes from the Greek
anthrōpos, meaning "humanity."
What is philanthropy?
good deeds done to benefit other people
acts of kindness that reflect human wisdom
caring for and serving oneself before others