On the evening of April 14, 2010, in towns across the Midwestern United States, the night sky flashed white, houses rattled, and the ground began to shake. The cause of all this wild activity was an invader from space. It was not aliens; it was a meteor streaking through Earth's atmosphere. There were no reported injuries, but many people were startled by the event. Officials from National Weather Service offices across the Midwest fielded reports of the phenomenon and said that it was visible from southwestern Wisconsin to central Missouri.
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The meteor was _________ for residents.
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A enchanting
B costly
C unexpected
D painful
C unexpected
The Bonneville Dam is near Portland, Oregon. Every year, wild salmon meet at the base of the dam. The fish then swim up the Columbia River to lay eggs. However, a big problem developed: Sea lions started visiting the dam. It was easy for them to catch and eat the salmon. People in Washington and Oregon grew worried. They made a plan to protect the fish. The plan was to scare away the sea lions. They used loud noises and shot beanbags at them. This did not always work, however. Some sea lions were not scared off. They kept eating the salmon.
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Some sea lions were _________.
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A strong
B quick
C kind
D brave
D brave
According to experts, some dogs have linguistic capacities comparable to those of language-trained apes and dolphins, even approaching the abilities of three-year-old children. Rico, a border collie from Germany, provides an especially striking example. Researchers asked Rico to retrieve a specific object—one he had never before encountered—from a room with several other familiar items. Rico was able to fetch the new object seven out of ten times. This suggests that Rico was able to reason that the new name could not refer to any of the familiar objects and must therefore refer to the new object. Four weeks later, he still remembered about half of the new vocabulary.
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Rico _________ the new vocabulary.
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A dictated
B enriched
C comprehended
D portrayed
C comprehended
China has become a global financial power. For evidence, look no farther than the Shanghai Tower. When finished, it will stand 2,074 feet (632 meters) tall. The tower will be China's tallest building. Only the Burj Khalifa in Dubai will be taller. The Shanghai Tower points to a change in world economics. Fewer skyscrapers are constructed in America now—partly because the economy has weakened. China can also afford environmental innovations in its tallest skyscraper. Wind turbines on the roof will produce power. Rainwater will heat and cool the building. The outside glass will let in sunlight. This will help the building's nine sky gardens grow.
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Building skyscrapers is a sign of economic _________.
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A relief
B reaction
C protection
D strength
D strength
The world's strongest winds can be found in jet streams high in the sky. Jet streams carry winds that regularly exceed 100 miles (161 kilometers) per hour. They are found 4 to 10 miles (6.5 to 16 kilometers) off the ground. However, this does not mean that they are out of reach as a possible energy source. Scientists are developing kite-like turbines. These devices fly, swoop, and float miles above Earth. They will turn high-altitude winds into low-cost power. Harnessing this wind energy could be very useful. Scientists calculate that there is a great deal of energy in the jet streams. This energy is 100 times the amount of power used worldwide each year.
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Scientists want to use jet streams to make _________.
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A electricity
B chemicals
C forecasts
D connections
A electricity
For years, Ndongo Ndiaye lived the life of a professional international athlete, playing basketball in countries as diverse as Lebanon, Japan, and France. Although he left his home country Senegal during high school, he supported his family and his village throughout his career. In 2003, Ndiaye initiated a program called Sports for Education and Economic Development in Senegal (SEEDS). Programs like SEEDS—both a school and a basketball academy—did not exist when Ndiaye was young. If they had, he believes that he might have refined his skills enough to live his ultimate dream and play in the NBA himself.
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Ndiaye is continuing his _________ off the basketball court.
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A countdown
B testimonials
C exhibitions
D legacy
D legacy
Researcher Randy Lewis and his collaborators wanted to manufacture fibers of spider silk by inserting spider genes into goats. These "transgenic" goats produced milk that contained an extra protein. Lewis and his team extracted that protein from the milk. They then removed the fibers one at a time with a metal rod and spun them into silk. While the lightweight fiber was strong, it was not yet as strong as real spider silk. "Nothing is as strong as the natural [spider-produced] fiber yet," Lewis said at the time, adding, "but we are working on solving that problem."
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Lewis's team _________ spider-like silk.
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A rejected
B crystallized
C generated
D classified
C generated
Researcher Randy Lewis and his collaborators wanted to manufacture fibers of spider silk by inserting spider genes into goats. These "transgenic" goats produced milk that contained an extra protein. Lewis and his team extracted that protein from the milk. They then removed the fibers one at a time with a metal rod and spun them into silk. While the lightweight fiber was strong, it was not yet as strong as real spider silk. "Nothing is as strong as the natural [spider-produced] fiber yet," Lewis said at the time, adding, "but we are working on solving that problem."
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Lewis's team _________ spider-like silk.
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A rejected
B crystallized
C generated
D classified
C generated
Immigrant Writing Festival is a writing class designed with Houston's 8,000 immigrant students in mind. Most of the students come from Latin America, Eastern Europe, Africa, and Asia. "They have lost their neighborhoods, their friends, part of their family, and their country," said Maria Rustomji, who helped start the writing class more than a decade ago. The students are encouraged to write in their native languages as well as in English. The goal is to help them gain a stronger vocabulary in both languages. Rustomji thinks that a writing class is just what these students need. She believes writing is a good way for people to express themselves. It allows the students to process their unique experiences.
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The writing class is _________.
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A traditional
B competitive
C unnecessary
D specialized
D specialized
Some of the pickiest eaters will gladly eat vegetables. That is, as long as those vegetables are potatoes. Chips and french fries are made by cooking potatoes in oil. These foods can be unhealthful. Some nutrition experts want potatoes removed from government food programs. They also want to limit the use of potatoes in school lunches. Kids would be allowed only one cup of starchy vegetables each week. Potato growers are worried. They do not want people to think that potatoes are bad. Potatoes can be healthful when prepared in other ways.
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Potato growers and nutritionists _________.
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A disagree
B cooperate
C profit
D grumble
A disagree
Artistic skill and creativity are imperative for graphic designers. However, that is not enough to be successful in the field. Design trends can change quickly, and graphic designers need to remain open to new ideas. They must communicate ideas visually, verbally, and in writing. Graphic designers work closely with their coworkers on projects. However, they also often work independently. So managing projects and meeting deadlines is important, too.
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Graphic designers need varied _________.
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A abilities
B challenges
C regulations
D enterprises
A abilities
The tradition of Friday night football on the Hawaiian island of Kauai was interrupted by an unusual suspect: the Newell's shearwater. The Newell's shearwater is a threatened species of seabird. Bright stadium lights disrupted the birds during their migration from their nesting grounds to the ocean. Officials moved Friday night games to Saturday afternoons, but this solution raised island-wide controversy. Fans and players alike were unhappy about the intense daytime heat. Attendance dropped because parents had to work or take players' siblings to different activities.
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The schedule change caused _________.
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A discussion
B confusion
C complaints
D expenses
C complaints
In the early 2000s, hockey might not have been as popular as basketball and football, but it was gaining fans. Just a few years before, the sport had struggled to find its audience. In 2005, a labor dispute led to the cancelation of an entire season. However, the sport benefited greatly from the 2010 Winter Olympics. The final Olympic game drew a viewership of about 27.6 million people, the most viewers in 30 years. Canada and the United States went head-to-head for the gold medal. Sidney Crosby, one of the NHL's biggest stars, scored the winning goal in overtime for Canada.
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The event increased hockey's _________.
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A expenses
B critics
C appeal
D regulations
C appeal
A popular restaurant chain is confident that the majority of its customers will continue to pay for their food, even if they are not required to. This national bakery recently closed one of its eateries in Missouri and re-opened it as a nonprofit cafe. After placing an order, customers receive a slip with the price the food would normally cost. Then, customers are asked to contribute whatever amount they deem fair and can afford. Each month, after expenses are paid, any remaining contributions are used to help the community. Even though they are not obligated to pay full price, customers often give even more than they would have paid in a traditional restaurant. The company imagines the restaurant as the start of a new trend.
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The restaurant relies on _________.
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A publicity
B modernization
C donations
D monopolies
C donations
From a control room, scientists monitor consumers via inconspicuous ceiling cameras. These cameras have the capability to zoom in on a face or pull back to view a broad section of Wageningen University and Research Center's cafeteria. Scientists record such data as customers' movements, postures, and facial expressions. They track which food consumers select. They also track which food consumers almost select. Scientists even document how long customers pause before making a decision. In addition to cameras, the scientists use specialized software. At the self-service checkout stand, consumers punch in their food choices on a touch-screen and pay using a card that tracks their eating habits over time. A scale embedded in the floor records customers' weights.
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The scientists gather _________ data.
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A criminal
B ample
C flattering
D baseless
B ample
For years, experts have glorified exercise because it offers a multitude of health benefits, including strengthening the heart and bones and averting weight gain. Now, researchers have discovered an additional asset: Physical activity may help prevent drug addiction. New research demonstrates how varying levels of dancing, bicycling, swimming, and tae kwon do influence mood, academic performance, and the systems in the brain that can be affected by drug abuse. One study speculates that exercise may serve as a mild antidepressant and relieve stress, a known risk factor for addiction.
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Physical exercise can _________ addictive behavior.
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A accelerate
B reactivate
C mimic
D disrupt
D disrupt
In Ken Marquis's art gallery in Pennsylvania, a strange world exists. A toothy dog chomps on a disk. A mysterious sea creature rests in a pool of oil. Barack Obama announces "I AM A PRESIDENT." The works of art can be a bit puzzling. But perhaps that is the point. Since 2008, Marquis has persuaded artists to take part in the Landfillart Project. The project reuses metal hubcaps, plastic wheel coverings, and other found objects. Artists turn the reclaimed items into works of wonder and delight. So far, his collection contains more than 800 pieces. Artists from every state and 52 countries have taken part.
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Marquis's show features _________ objects.
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A framed
B buried
C mistaken
D discarded
D discarded
Honeybees have an important role—pollination—when it comes to growing our most beloved food crops. Many food crops rely on honeybees to spread pollen. Without this process, the plants would not produce fruits and seeds, and we would not have our food! This process is why the sudden disappearance of honeybees in the United States is causing a lot of concern among beekeepers and farmers. Scientists are trying to determine the cause, or causes, of what they are calling Colony Collapse Disorder. Many people believe that certain chemicals that are used in pesticides may be causing the bees to suffer a weakened immune system.
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People are worried about the _________.
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A legislation
B fundamentals
C appraisal
D implications
D implications
Bordered by China to the north and India to the south, Bhutan is roughly the size of Switzerland. Bhutan, which is known for its unspoiled natural beauty and its breathtaking views of the Himalayan Mountain Range, is the only country in the world to measure its Gross National Happiness (GNH). GNH is a variation of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). Most countries measure GDP, which relates to economic prosperity. Bhutan's GNH represents the nation's commitment to contented citizens above financial gain. The king's father coined the term before he retired.
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The rulers of Bhutan consider citizens' happiness to be _________.
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A noteworthy
B juvenile
C divisive
D temporary
A noteworthy
It is impossible that there will not be situations of conflict," said Angelo Bottini in 2008, Rome's archaeological superintendent at the time. Neither the subway workers nor the archaeologists could decide whether a find should be removed, destroyed, or encased within the subway structure. According to Italy's strict conservation laws, that was up to Bottini. Over the years, countless construction projects had been scrapped across Italy because ancient objects were unearthed there. Sometimes, developers deliberately failed to report a find and plowed through ancient treasures so that they could complete their projects. In Italy, and in Greece, too, workers and archaeologists had to preserve their history while accommodating the need for new subway lines.
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The superintendent needed to be _________.
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A prestigious
B discerning
C hospitable
D immune
B discerning
Philadelphia's Academy of Natural Sciences is the oldest natural history museum in the United States. A group of naturalists founded the museum in 1812. They wanted to advance a scholarly view of the world. Today, it is like a library of life on Earth. It has thousands of birds, insects, reptiles, fish, mollusks, fossils, and plants that are carefully cataloged and stored. Some of the items are associated with major historical figures. These collections include Thomas Jefferson's fossils, Lewis and Clark's plants, and bird skins from naturalist John James Audubon.
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The museum's collection is _________.
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A primitive
B cultural
C unused
D massive
D massive
Manhattan resident Melinda Hackett hired carpenters to construct a tree house for her daughters. She thought that it would help compensate for the carefree existence that the girls lost when they moved from rural New York to a townhouse with a tiny backyard. After the tree house was completed, Hackett wondered if she might have needed a permit to build it. Since her children loved their new tree house, Hackett hoped not to have to remove it. She brought the issue before Manhattan's Environmental Control Board court. However, "none of the judges knew what to do with a tree house," she said. Ultimately, Hackett's structure was deemed "recreation equipment," which is allowed in backyards.
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The structure might have been _________.
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A disassembled
B redesigned
C insulated
D revitalized